Petunia &#39;DCASAUTMYS&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Petunia  cultivar named ‘DCASAUTMYS’ is disclosed, characterized by a mounded, ball-shaped growth habit, very well branched plant form, medium vigor and an abundance of large light yellow flowers with brown centers, maturing to beige with violet centers. The new variety is a  Petunia , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Petunia sensu wijsman

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘DCASAUTMYS’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Petunia cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Gavriel Danziger, in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The objective of the breeding program was to produce new Petunia varieties for ornamental commercial applications. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during November of 2011.

The seed parent is the, unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Petunia ‘cv. 11-4698’. The pollen parent is the unpatented, propriety variety referred to as Petunia ‘cv. 11-4527’. The new variety was discovered in May of 2012 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2011 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was performed by terminal vegetative cuttings. This was first performed at a research greenhouse in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel in May of 2012 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in more than 25 successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘DCASAUTMYS’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘DCASAUTMYS’ as a new and distinct Petunia cultivar:

1. Very branched plant with medium vigor.

2. Mounded, ball-shaped growth habit.

3. Large flower size.

4. Abundant flowering.

5. Flowers color is light yellow with a brown center, maturing to beige with a violet center.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ are similar to plants of the seed parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ differ in the following;

1. Mounded ball-shaped growth habit, whereas the seed parent has a semi-upright growth habit.

2. Smaller flower size than the seed parent.

3. Flowers color is light yellow with brown center, maturing to beige with violet center. The seed parent flowers are nearly black with yellow stripes.

4. More flowers than the seed parent.

5. Less plant vigor than the seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ differ in the following;

1. Mounded ball-shaped growth habit, whereas the pollen parent has a ball-shaped growth habit.

2. Larger flower size than the pollen parent.

3. Flowers color is light yellow with brown center, maturing to beige with violet center. The pollen parent has flowers which are pink with dark veins.

4. More flowers per plant than the pollen parent.

5. Larger plant with greater vigor than the pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ are comparable to the patented commercial variety Petunia ‘DANRAY1’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,974. The two Petunia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘DCASAUTMYS’ differs in the following:

1. Flower size of this comparator is larger than the flower of the new variety.

2. Comparator flower color is white, the new variety has a light yellow flower with a brown center, maturing to beige with a violet center.

3. Plants of the comparator variety are more vigorous than plants of the new variety.

4. Average branch length of the comparator is longer than branches of the new variety.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘DCASAUTMYS’ can also be compared to the unpatented commercial variety Petunia ‘DANRAY3’. The two Petunia varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘DCASAUTMYS’ differs in the following:

1. Flower size of this comparator is larger than the flower of the new variety.

2. Flower color is light purple with dark purple veins, while the new variety has a light yellow flower with a brown center, maturing to beige with a violet center.

3. Plants of the comparator variety are more vigorous than plants of the new variety.

4. Average branch length of the comparator is longer than branches of the new variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘DCASAUTMYS’ grown in a nursery, in a 13 cm pot. Age of the plant photographed is approximately 90 days from a rooted cutting. FIG. 2 illustrates a close up of the flowers. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Mini Colour Chart 2001 except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘DCASAUTMYS’ plants grown outdoors and in greenhouse during the Spring, Summer and Autumn, in Mishmar Hashiva, Israel. The growing temperature ranged from 20° C. to 35° C. during the day and from 17° C. to 23° C. during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia ‘DCASAUTMYS’ -   Propagation:     -   -   Type of propagation typically used.—Vegetative terminal             cutting.         -   Time to initiate roots.—10-14 days.         -   Root description.—Fibrous. -   Plant:     -   -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 60 days from a rooted             cutting.         -   Pot size of plant described.—13 cm.         -   Growth habit.—Mounded.         -   Height.—Approximately 20 cm.         -   Plant spread.—About 55 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Medium.         -   Branching characteristics.—Very well branched.         -   Characteristics of primary lateral branches.—Quantity of             Primary Lateral Branches: 8 Length of Primary Lateral             Branches: About 28 cm. Form: Cylindrical Diameter: About             0.4 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144 A Texture: Pubescent             Strength: Strong and flexible.         -   Internode length.—2 cm. -   Foliage:     -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Opposite Quantity: Approximately 30 per             branch. Average Length: 6 cm. Average Width: 3.5 cm. Shape             of blade: Ovate Apex: Acute Base: Tapered Margin: Entire             Texture of top surface: Velvety Texture of lower surface:             Velvety Color: Young foliage upper side: RHS Yellow-Green             146 A Young foliage under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146 B             Mature foliage upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 146 A Mature             foliage under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146 B Venation: Type:             Pinnate Venation color upper side: RHS Yellow-Green 146 B             Venation color under side: RHS Yellow-Green 146 C Petiole:             Length: 0.5 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green             146 A Texture: Velvety. -   Flower:     -   -   Natural flowering season.—Spring, Summer, and Autumn in             Mishmar Hashiva, Israel.         -   Days to flowering from rooted cutting.—about 30 days.         -   Inflorescence and flower type and habit.—Axillary, single             flower, salverform shape, erect habit.         -   Rate of flower opening.—2 to 3 days from bud to fully opened             flower.         -   Flower longevity on plant.—3-6 days.         -   Approximate quantity of flowers per plant.—About 50.         -   Persistent or self-cleaning.—Self-cleaning.         -   Bud.—Shape: Tubular Length: 4.5 cm Diameter: About 1 cm             Color: RHS Yellow-green 151 A.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: about 5.5cm. Length: about 2.5 cm.             Flower tube diameter at distal end: about 1.0 cm. Flower             tube diameter at proximal end: about 0.4 cm.         -   Petals.—Length from throat: about 2.2cm. Width: about             2.5 cm. Quantity: 5 Texture: Velvety Apex: Blunt Base: Fused             Margin: Entire.         -   Color.—When opening: Upper surface: Overall appearance light             yellow with brown center, Main color: RHS Yellow-Green 1 B             Center color: RHS Brown 200 B Lower surface: RHS             Yellow-Green 1 C Fully opened: Upper surface: RHS             Greyed-Yellow 160 B Center color: RHS Greyed-Purple 187 A             Lower surface: RHS Greyed-Yellow 160 C Flower throat             (inside): RHS Greyed-Purple 187 A Flower throat, vein: RHS             Greyed-Purple 187 A Flower tube (outside): RHS Greyed-Purple             187 B Flower tube, vein: RHS Yellow-Green 151 B Fading:             Petals fading to: RHS Green-White B with Violet center, RHS             Violet 83 B.         -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5 Shape: Linear Length:             about 1.8 cm Width: about 0.3 cm Apex: Rounded Base: Fused             Margin: Entire Texture: velvety Color: Upper Surface: RHS             Yellow-Green 146 A Lower Surface: RHS Yellow-Green 146 B.         -   Peduncle.—Not present.         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 2 cm. Diameter: about 0.1 cm. Color:             RHS Yellow-Green 146 B Orientation: straight, average angle             of attachment 45 degrees.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Stamens.—Number (per flower): 5 Filament length: about 2 cm.         -   Anthers.—Shape: Rounded Length: about 0.1 cm Color: RHS             Yellow 5 B.         -   Pollen.—Color: RHS Yellow 4 C Amount: Abundant.         -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: 1 Length: about 2.5 cm Style:             Length: about 1.8 cm Color: RHS Yellow-green 149 B Stigma:             Shape: Rounded Color: RHS Green 143 C Ovary Color: RHS Green             143 A. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Seeds and fruits.—about 50 Black, rounded seeds of about 0.5             mm diameter, per one brown, conical capsule. Color values             not accurately measured with the R.H.S. chart.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor             susceptibility to the normal diseases and pests of Petunia             have been observed. Typical well known diseases include:             Botrytis cineria, Fusarium, Pythium, Phytophthora, and             Rhizoctonia species. Typical well known pests include: Leaf             miners, spider mites, thrips and possibly caterpillars.         -   Temperature tolerance.—Tolerates a range between 5° C. to             40° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘DCASAUTMYS’ as herein illustrated and described. 